Sports Soapbox

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

It's been a while, but let's see if I've still got this. I was happy to attend the Labor Day game at Progressive Field (Indians vs. Tigers), and thought for a while my Tribe was still in it. That was until Ubaldo Jimenez left a pitch over the plate that even I could crush for Victor Martinez. That's kind of like leaving a buffet in front of a fat man, it won't last long and boy are you going to be paying for that!

Then, when it looked like a comeback might be upon us, Doug Fister turns into freakin' Cy Young and Jhonny Peralta decides to grab his gold glove (we could have used that when you were in Cleveland, you putz). As I watched the remnants of the 2007 Tribe put the final dagger through the hearts of their 2011 counterpart, it occurred to me, these guys really peaked at the right time.

But the more I thought about it, and the more nachos I downed to ease the pain of another Indians season, I realized the Detroit Tigers will be nothing more than a footnote on the 2011 MLB Postseason. Whoever comes out of the AL Central will be staring down the barrel of either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox. The Yankees seem to hit home runs at will, and even with Bartolo Colon & AJ Burnett in their rotation they still find a way to win. I would not want to go into Yankee Stadium and stare down CC Sabathia in Game 1. CC's at 19 wins already, and if it weren't for Justin Verlander he would be in the discussion for AL Cy Young. Ivan Nova is a solid, young pitcher who has handled the AL East well. I would not doubt his continued success in the postseason.

Boston is a little more questionable, but when you field a lineup that includes Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, & David Ortiz, you really don't have to worry about scoring runs. What you should worry about is how badly you're about lay the smackdown on the opposition (or their "candy asses" as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson would kindly remind us).

It's always been said hitting wins games, pitching wins championships. That's all well and good. But look at Detroit's rotation beyond Verlander. Impressed? Me neither. Doug Fister was a consolation prize when Detroit lost out on the big name pitchers at the trade deadline. Rick Porcello is a hot & cold pitcher; one minute unhittable, the next the Little League World Series Champions could tee off on him. Brad Penny can't seem to find what he had in 2006 & 2007 with the Dodgers- talent. I must admit I like Max Scherzer. I've liked him since he started his major league career in Arizona. But he has yet to prove he can handle the #2 spot in the rotation.

Bottom Line: Justin Verlander is an incredible pitcher, but he can't pitch every game. And that's the only way Detroit can stop New York or Boston.

(Editor's Note: This was kind of fun. Maybe I should do it again sometime?)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Whine, whine, whine... bitch, bitch, bitch. I am sick and tired of this crap! Every freaking day I have to listen to some sports figure complain that he:

A. Doesn't get enough playing timeB. Doesn't get enough moneyC. Doesn't get the respect he deserves

Can you guess which of those pisses me off the most??? Let me remind these idiots of one thing. YOU GET PAID MONEY TO PLAY A KID'S GAME!!! I remember playing Cops & Robbers as a kid; wouldn't it be great if I could become a pro at that? That's what these whining morons are doing! They can throw a football far, or they can slam a baseball over a fence, or they can repetitively bounce a basketball and then throw it through a hoop. And because they can do that, they deserve millions of dollars? And then, after getting all this money--that they don't deserve-- they have the nerve to complain about it???

Here's the one that has me really steamed, coming from Derek Anderson in regards to Cleveland fans:

"The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner. I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured. I know at times I wasn't great. I hope and pray I'm playing when my team comes to town and (we) roll them."

Holy crap! I didn't realize that D.A. was such a great QB! How many trophies does he have? None? And the only reason Anderson even started in that Pro Bowl appearance--the only of his career--was because Tom Brady, the starter, was injured? So D.A. really has not really proven anything? And D.A. should really not run his mouth then? Hmmm... that sounds about right.

I'll give him this, Cleveland fans are rough. We always have been. We expect winners to come play for the most loyal fans in the NFL. And we will tell you when you're doing well. And we will tell you when you suck. D.A. didn't realize that half of the Browns fans wanted him over Brady Quinn. He had half, so he had some support. Now, I would not be surprised if anyone gives a damn that he's gone.

Derek Anderson has burned his bridge to Cleveland, and many other teams who won't want to build a team around a QB who doesn't know when to shut up. D.A. clearly missed the boat on this lesson; without the fans, there is no NFL. And without the NFL, he's on the unemployment line with many other, harder working men & women. D.A. be glad you even got a chance. And I hope you do come to Cleveland with a new team, we would love to kick your ass.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

The Major League Baseball has come and gone, and with each minute that passes, I fear the worst for my beloved Cleveland Indians. They have dealt 1B Ryan Garko, RP Rafael Betancourt, and perhaps the two biggest blows to fan morale, reigning American League Cy Young winner Cliff Lee & the lone Indian to make the All-Star team C/1B Victor Martinez.

I've never been Cliff Lee's biggest fan. I once called him "the hack that anchors the Tribe." And that's the nicest thing I can print. I've watched Victor Martinez go through an awful slump earlier this season that culminated on Memorial Day. After going 0-5 in the game, the Indians rallied from down 10 runs down. And Victor came to the plate in the clutch situation in the bottom of the 9th. And he delivered! A big single up the gut to score the game-winning run. It is quite easily one of my favorite sports moments to have been a part of.

I still was not a V-Mart fan, until I tuned in to watch his farewell interview with an increasingly despondent Cleveland media that has become all to familiar with the scene and questions. The first thing I noticed, Victor was wearing sunglasses. Why? Because the poor man had been reduced to tears at the thought of leaving his friends, his family, & HIS team. Martinez did not play anywhere else. He was a "home-grown" talent. And he's cast aside, just because our team won't be playing in October. In that moment, I became a Victor Martinez fan, and I came to a horrifying realization.

Cleveland Indians management has destined the Indians to fail.

How else do you trade the reigning Cy Young winner, and get prospects, none of which are ready to contribute now? Or next year? Why are we planning for 2012? How do you trade someone like a Victor Martinez, without so much as a thank you or a good luck? This weekend, ironically, is Victor Martinez giveaway weekend. A bobblehead Saturday, a backback on Sunday. In the e-mail newsletter announcing the trade, a quote at the bottom made me furious. I won't quote it, rather I'll paraphrase it. "Don't worry, we're still giving away the items listed, cause we could careless about V-Mart." Nice work, Cleveland.

You're probably asking yourself, who in the hell is responsible for this. That would be GM Mark Shapiro, whose claim to fame is the infamous trade of 2002 that sent SP Bartolo Colon to the then Montreal Expos for 4 players (prospects) including OF Grady Sizemore & SP Cliff Lee. Shapiro must think he's got the Midas touch. Well, I would like to be among the many Cleveland fans who would like Shapiro to take a one-way trip the hell out of Cleveland. In fact, I'm listening to a song that just about sums up Cleveland at the trade deadline. It's from Theory of a Deadman; called "So Happy." Take a listen thanks to the fine folks at youtube.

Hey Shapiro, "we're fed up, so get up and get out!"

What does this mean? It means, the Indians will get rid of anyone no matter what. And at any cost. I joked with my friends yesterday that the Indians had just traded me to Cincinnati for a bowl of Skyline chili & a fan to be named later. And I double-checked Sporting News.com & ESPN just to make sure they really didn't! For 455 games in the '90s and early 2000s Cleveland fans sold out Jacobs Field. Guess what? Regressive Field is going to sit empty for quite a while. Except for me.

I won't be hard to find. I'll be the guy holding the sign that says "Fire Shapiro, or they won't come back."

Sunday, June 14, 2009

It's sad stories like this one that are par for the course with our economy in the dumps. It's unfortunate, and according the idiots running these car companies "necessary." Yeah, "necessary." I think it's "necessary that they don't get paid until everyone who's been laid off thanks to their stupid decisions with money get their jobs back!

In case you did get a chance to read it, please check out BWE-EBW Jakarta Encounter, which I had a great time writing with help from my buddy & yours, "The Dave." It's a good read, trust me. And it's better to end this on a high note.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls; children of all ages, welcome to the show that never ends! Ok, so it does go on temporary hiatus, but hey, what can you do, right? Anyway, I am happy to report that I am officially over my nagging cold! Yay! Oh man, I should never do that again.

I had the absolute privilege of being in attendance Memorial Day for the Indians vs. Rays game at Progressive Field. The Tribe rallied back from a 10-0 defecit to win 11-10 on a sensational walk-off two run single by Victor Martinez. The same V-Mart had gone 0-5 in his previous at-bats that game. Anything can happen in baseball, and V-Mart proved that!

The excitement in the stadium during that unbelievable bottom of the 9th is something I will never forget, and I was happy to be a part of that. I was fortunate to attend the game with my brother, and it was a great time to say the least. I hope everyone who gets a chance, will go out to the ballpark this summer and take in one of the many games going on this summer. Trust me, every game leaves you with a story to tell the next day. Here's the MLB.com story on the game for the Indians' 10-run rally that had me leaping out of my seat in celebration.

What is Twitter? I see on tv, everyone's on Twitter. My friends tell me to send them a tweet, and I have to look at them funny because I don't know what they just said! Just curious is all.

I want to do a little janitorial work here and remind everyone that coming up this week on Basic Bloganomics, BWE & EBW are back in action as we proudly present the Jakarta Encounter! Live from the Tripzibit Resort in Jakarta, Indonesia! I'm proud to be one of the writers for this, and while I may be biased, I think this is our best show to date! There's a little bit of everything in this one, and it is currently scheduled for this Thursday, May 28th. Be there! And for anyone unfamiliar with it, click on the banner to the top left for our previous show!

Now, I want to comment on a situation that is unfortunately far too common on the internet. It is called plagiarism, and it is a serious crime. I've seen this happen before on another site I blogged on, Sporting News, with my friend David Funk. It is one of the most disgusting things I have ever witnessed on-line and it is something I DO NOT tolerate! I have called people out on this before and I will do it again if needed to protect my friends.

Here's the tag, please feel free to grab it share with everyone to show those who steal the works, thoughts & ideas of others that it will not be tolerated!

Please copy from here and share:

What is Plagiarism?

According toDictionary, Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work.

To all Bloggers who exert effort to create noteworthy entries and who continue to maintain a Blog which is a reflection of who she / he is, ” Good job! ”

To those who have the desire to Blog but are merely scraping contents from other people‘ s materials, ” Whether you are monetizing your site to help you with your basic needs or to satisfy some of your wants, do it the proper way. Stop making money out of someone else’s work. Otherwise, you are nothing but a common thief! ”

Thank you!

Spread the word to stop plagiarism! And please check out the talented writer's in the list to the right. They are the cream of the crop in blogging. Oh yeah, what is Twitter?

Friday, May 1, 2009

Hey guys. I just wanted to let everyone know why I've been missing in cyberland these past couple weeks. For the past week I've been under the weather with some type of annoying cold. You just have to love the Ohio weather that goes from 90 degrees, hot, sunshine to 42 degrees, cold, miserable, wet. And it was during the unexpected cold snap that I became sick.

Please do not worry! I do not have the swine flu or whatever the World Health Organization is calling it now! I have your standard, run of the mill cold with an alergy combo. I know, it's not exciting or interesting, but believe me, this thing is hanging on till the end. It's really annoying!

But never fear, my down time is not going to waste. My mind is racing with new ideas and I can't wait to show them to you! I'm planning to post 2 new video game reviews soon in the Soapbox, as well as the upcoming BWE/EBW Jakarta Encounter on Basic Bloganomics. And some other fun stuff. Until then, be safe & stay healthy.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

I am going to try and knock out as many of the tags I have as possible in the next week, and there's a lot! First, I have this really cool award from my buddy The Funkster on Basic Bloganomics, who also came up with the second tag I'll be working on in this edition of the Soapbox. Here's the first one.

That is a very cool award called the Blogger Trophy Award. Very cool. I'm going to pass this along to all of my friends who have stopped by to visit. If you've ever read this site (and thus are reading these words now.) feel free to grab this really cool looking trophy.

The second tag is a little old, but it's taken me a little while to get this one done. It's especially close to my heart being this is a sports blog, I want to make this sports tag very important.

This is the WBE Sportsmanship Award! WBE stands for World Blogging Entertainment which is a name created by David Funk used to recognize excellence in blogging, and has annually named a Blog of Courage Award winner every year since 2006.

WBE Sportsmanship Award is given to ANY blogger for showing the following qualities:*Kindness to all bloggers*Courtesy to others*Respects the opinions of bloggers*Displays a sportsman-like attitude*Addresses and debates any topic with professionalism*Motivates or supports other bloggers*Strong leader and community builder.The Rules for the WBE Sportsmanship Award:

1. Talk about your favorite sports team or teams. List what team you like, where they are from, what league they play in, and why and how you like them.

2. If you don't have a favorite team, then talk about your favorite player or players in other sports. Any sport can be talked about, and not just team sports.

3. You can talk about favorite teams and players that are no longer playing if you choose.

4. Download a picture or logo of your favorite team or teams so that other countries around the world can see them. Or provide a picture of your favorite player or athlete.

5. You can add more information about any teams you talk about to help other cultures understand more about them.

6. Nominate at least five bloggers for this award, and let them know you tagged them.

7. Link back to this post and the person you received this award from.

8. Come back and leave a comment on this post so that your name can be added to the list of those who received this award. This is also done so that others can refer back to this entry, and read other entries throughout the world that they may have missed.

Why I Like 'Em: This is going to be fun, because as I write this my favorite team has yet to win a professional baseball game in the year 2009. That sucks. I am a die-hard Cleveland sports fan, and I blame that on my family & friends. Being a Cleveland sports fan is like enjoying pain. See, Cleveland teams raise losing to an artform. Ever watched a baseball game where your team had a 10 run lead? Felt comfortable, right? Not for Indians fans! We look at that and say, "Nope, we need 5 or 6 more!" As funny as that might sound, it's not really a joke. The reason I love the Indians and will happily be in attendance for two games this season is the passion the fans have for the team, and the passion I have for the team.

I come from a poor family, so I didn't attend my first game until I got a job and paid for the tickets myself. But the few games I have attended are very special to me. I won't highlight them all, but I want to point out one game in particular. I believe it was August of 2004. I had heard talk all week on sports radio of this guy, Grady Sizemore, being called up to the major league roster and he would get to play "any day now." I heard great things about him and I wanted to see him play. He was not in the starting lineup. "Crap!" Well, at least I get to watch a game against the White Sox. Suddenly, a hellacious rain releases from the heavens (oooh, irony!) and drenches the field. "Crap!" We wait, and wait. An hour and a half later they tell us the game will be played. "Cool!" Maybe we can at least out-hit the Sox? Mark Buehrle of the White Sox pitches a no-hitter through 6 innings. "Crap!" Well, at least I'm on SportsCenter! Hey Omar Vizquel just hit a bloop single. "Crap!" Well, maybe we can start a rally, a get on the board. 12-1 looks much better than 12-0. Double play. "Crap!"

Not the best game in world right? Until I hear over the PA, "now playing in center field, Grady Sizemore." Yes! And you could tell even in the one inning he played in that game he had the star potential. I proudly keep the scorecard from that game, because I can say that I saw Grady Sizemore's major league debut. I've followed him ever since, and I am happy to say I was there. I have not been to the ballpark in 3 years, but that will change later this month when I see the Indians take on the Boston Red Sox and in May I get to see the defending American League Champions the Tampa Bay Rays. And thanks to a great promotion from the Indians and my wonderful family's help, I've got the best seats I've ever had at the ballpark. Behind home plate for the Tampa game, and 15 rows back from the field for the Boston game!

Why do I like the Indians? I don't. I love them, and I always will for the great moments, the history, and the joy they bring me even when they're down. Being at the ballpark is an experience you never forget, and I'm greatly looking forward to the next two trips to see my beloved Tribe.

I'm going to do the tagging portion of this show a little different. I'm putting it up for everyone to grab. This has easily been one of the most fun tags I've done, and I want everyone to get a chance to try it. So show your love of your favorite sports team and take this tag!

And don't forget to check out the newest BWE Throwdown! on Basic Bloganomics! Some very unique matches took place, and yours truly even stopped by to leave a comment or two. It's a very good read, so if you have not already, click over to Throwdown!